Synthesis of Cu,N-doped TiO2 nanotube by a novel magnetron sputtering method and its photoelectric property

Abstract

Co-doped TiO2 were usually synthesized by chemical method, which need complex steps and easily cause secondary pollution and not suitable for TiO2 nanotube arrays preparation. In this study, Cu,N co-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays (Cu,N-TNT) are prepared by a novel magnetron sputtering method. The morphology, structure and physicochemical property of the nanotubes was analyzed by XRD, SEM, TEM, EDS and UV–vis-DR. The results indicate that the evenly doped copper is beneficial to the transformation from anatase to rutile and play a key role in the morphology of the Cu,N-TNT. Cu and N doping in the TNT not only influence the growth orientation of the TiO2 crystals, but also cause lattice distortion and result in wider interplanar spacing. Increasing the copper content promotes the orientation of anatase (004) crystal plane. However, excess copper content for Cu,N-TNT samples inhibits the nanotubes growth. The nanotube with proper Cu,N doping has less band gap and strongest absorption intensity in visible region, which benefit its physicochemical property. This study provides a new method for co-doping of TiO2 nanotubes.